Sheet forwarding mechanism



July 9, 1968 A. FRCJBEL A 3, 9

SHEET .FORWARDING MECHANISM Original Filed March 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BY? ARTUR FROBEL ATTOR/VEVE July 9, 1968 A. FROBEL SHEET FORWARDING MECHANISM Original Filed March 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ARTUR FROBEL ATTORNE Y3 United States Patent 3,391,775 SHEET FORWARDING MECHANISM Artur Frtibel, Oberndorf (Neckar), Germany, assignor to Olympia Werke AG., Wilhelmshavcn, Germany Continuation of application Ser. No. 436,551, Mar. 2, 1965. This application Jan. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 612,070 Claims priority, applicatiog get-many, Mar. 18, 1964, O 1 32 3 Claims. 0. 197-127 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present application is a continuation application of my application Ser. No. 436,551, filed Mar. 2, 1965, now abandoned.

The invention relates to a sheet-forwarding mechanism for typing, calculating and bookkeeping machines with a motor-driven transport roller and pressure rollers for sheet ejection.

The sheets can be printed checks, receipts, identification cards, etc. which are often used in large numbers. It is advantageous that the insertion be done at maximum speed and with as little exertion as possible by the typist.

There is known a sheet forwarding device which is motor-driven for inserting and ejecting the sheets. The transport roller of such a known device can, for example, be driven by a motor in either direction. In cooperation with pressure rollers the transport roller then moves the sheet automatically into a predetermined position where the sheet is pressed against the typewriter platen for being typed. After the last line has been typed, the pressure rollers release the sheet. At the same time the motor for the transport roller of the forwarding mechanism is connected to run in the sheet-ejecting direction so that the sheet with all the typing on it can be ejected.

Such automatic sheet forwarding devices will speed up the preparation of the sheets for typing, but the complicated construction is not always necessary. Quite often the papers to be typed, such as checks or cards, are all of the same height. It may be necessary to do the typing Only on the last line so as to facilitate subsequent scanning by a reading machine.

The present invention therefore relates specifically to a front sheet holding mechanism for sheets of uniform height which are to be typed on only a certain line, e.g. on the last line.

The purpose of this invention is to permit the typist to use the right hand for inserting the sheets into the machine and for actuating the keys while the left hand needs to be available only for picking up the sheets. The ejection of a sheet on which the typing has been finished will then be performed automatically.

The present invention does this in a simple manner by mounting the pressure rollers in such a manner that they can be swung into a position where they will press the finished sheet against the transport roller to be ejected by the latter.

The path of movement of the pressure rollers is such that while being swung into the ejecting position they will catch behind the upper edge of the typed sheet and press it against the transport roller. The latter immediately ejects the sheet, e.g. into a receptacle.

This is accomplished by mounting the pressure rollers in swinging arms which are fixedly attached to a pivot bar rotatably mounted above the transport roller and carrying a spring-actuated lever to urge the bar and its pressure rollers into sheet-ejecting position; the said lever when swung in the opposite direction, also serving to lift the pressure rollers away from the transport roller.

The pressure rollers being continually urged by spring pressure toward the transport roller, they will of their own accord move into sheet-ejecting position if not forced in the opposite direction.

The linkage for lifting away the pressure roller acts upon a projecting portion of the spring-urged arm above the sheet forwarding mechanism. For this purpose a sheet holder means is supported on the main frame for pivotal movement relative to the typewriter platen between a sheet inserting and ejecting, and a typing position. One of the side Walls of the sheet holder means has fixed thereto a swinging arm whose upper end is angular to the length of the arm and presents a shoulder for retracting the pressure rollers when the sheet forwarding mechanism is brought into its closed or typing position, whereas in the open or sheet inserting or ejecting position of the mechanism, the pressure rollers will bear against the transport roller. For this purpose the side wall which carries the linkage is also provided with a swinging extension for actuation by a connecting rod.

The lower portion of the sheet holder means is preferably adapted to serve as a sheet tensioner by providing a pair of aligned slots for receiving a leaf spring the ends of which bear against the platen as an interceptor to ensure a constant position for the lower edge of the sheet.

Other features and details of this invention will be brought out in the following description of one form of the invention and by reference to the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective front View of a mechanism according to one embodiment;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the same in writing position; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the same in sheet-ejecting position.

FIGURE 1 shows the sheet-forwarding or front sheet holding mechanism as seen in perspective. The front wall 22 of a sheet holder means 20 faces toward the typist. The sleets are inserted by hand into the inlet funnel formed by the front wall 22 and the marginal guides 222a and 2221) of the sheet holder means 20.

Behind the sheet holder means 20 typewriter platen 1 is mounted in the usual manner on a shaft 2. Above the platen 1, a transport roller 3 is fixedly mounted on the drive shaft 4 rotating in bearing means 7, only one of which is shown in FIGURE 1. The shaft 4 with the transport roller 3 on it is driven by a pulley 5 and belt 6 in a known manner either by a separate motor or by gearing.

Above the transport roller 3 a bar or rod 14 is pivotally mounted inbearings 15. The bar or rod 14 has attached to it a pair of arms 9a, 91; carrying pressure rollers 8a, 8b rotatable on axes 10a, 1%. At one end, the pivot bar 14 has a lever 16 fastened thereto. The lower end of lever 16 has connected thereto a spring 17, anchored to a pin 18 fixed in the machine frame. At its other end, lever 16 carries a laterally projecting pin 19 for actuation of the lever to turn the shaft 14 and thereby to swing the rollers 80, 8b up or down.

As will be seen, the pivot shaft 14 can be controlled in such a manner that the pressure rollers 8a, 8b can be swung relative to the transport roller 3 between the inoperative position forming the gap shown in FIGURE 1 and an operative ejecting position shown in FIGURE 3.

The sheet holder means is pivotally mounted on studs 260, only one of which is shown in FIGURE 1. With such mounting, the sheet holder means 20 can be swung relative to the typewriter platen 1 between the open sheet inserting and ejecting position shown in FIG- URE 3 for sheet insertion or ejection and the closed typing position shown in FIGURE 2.

One of the side walls 21 of the sheet holder means 26 has extending from it a linkage including a swinging portion whose upper arm 210 extends at an angle to side wall 21 and has an open recess 212 in the top for the pin 19 on lever 16 and also has a shoulder 211 to actuate the pin 19 for raising operating pressure rollers 8a and 8b from roller 3. This lost-motion connection between the pivot shaft 14 and the swinging arm 210 is such that the pressure rollers 8a, 81') will be in their raised inoperative positions as shown in FTGURES l and 2 when the sheet holder means 29 is in its closed or typing position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. As soon as the sheet holder means 20 is swung into its open position shown in FIG. 3, the pressure rollers 8a and 812 will be swung into their sheet ejecting operative position in which they are caused by the spring 17 to press against the transport roller 3.

The side wall 21, which is integral with the swinging arm 210 has an extension portion 215 for actuation by a connecting rod 24 through an interconnecting pivot stud 216. The connecting rod 24 is actuated by mechanism which does not form part of the present invention.

In order to keep the sheet holder means resiliently in its open or in its closed position, the side wall 21 which carries the swinging arm 210 is also provided with an extension 217 carrying an arresting stud 218 which cooperates with recesses a and 25b in a notched lever 25 pivoted on an axis 27 and urged against the stud 218 by a spring 26. A connection between the side wall 21 shown on the drawing and the opposite side wall of the sheet holder means is formed by the connecting and guide bar 213, which, as shown in FIGURE 3, also serves to guide the sheet in position 110 that is being ejected. The front wall 22 of the sheet holder means is connected to lugs 214 on the side walls 21.

The front wall 22 has longitudinal slots 220a and 220i) therein through which the margin limiters 222a and 222b can be adjusted laterally by thumb screws 221a and 221k. These margin limiters, in conjunction with the front wall 22, form a sheet introducing and ejecting funnel.

The lower portion of the sheet holder means 20 is adapted to serve as a sheet holder and tightener. The upper edge 234 of the sheet lower holder wall portion 23 serves as a sheet tightener, when the sheet holder means is in the closed position shown in FIGURE 2 and presses the print ing portion of the sheet in position 11b which is below the line of typing 12 against the platen 1. When the sheet holder means is in the open position shown in FIG. 3, the edge 234 releases the typed sheet in position 110 as shown in FIGURE 3.

Below the upper edge 234 of the sheet holder wall portion 23 are two aligned windows 230a and 23% through which the ends of a leaf spring 232 project and engage the surface of the platen 1. The middle of spring 232 is fastened by a plate 233 to the bridge 231 between the two slots.

FIGURE 2 shows the mechanism in its closed typing position with the pin 218 of the extension 217 in recess 25b of the notched lever 25.

The sheet is brought into its typing position 11b when the upper edge 234 of the sheet holder wall portion 23 presses the sheet below the line of typing 12 against the platen 1 while the lower edge 223 of the upper sheet holder wall portion 22 presses the sheet against the platen above the line of typing 12.

After the sheet has been inserted in position 11a and typed in position 11b, the mechanism is moved back to the open position shown in FIGURE 3. As already explained, the pressure rollers 8a and 8/) will then have been swung into their sheet ejecting position after having moved behind the upper edge of the typed sheet which is located in the path of pressure rollers Sb toward transport roller :1, so that rollers 8a, 81; press the sheet in position against the transport roller 3. The finished sheet can now be ejected because now it is no longer held either by the edge 234 or by the edge 223 of the front wall.

As will be seen in FIGURE 3, the lower edge of the newly inserted sheet rests upon the shanks or legs of the spring 232 so that a sheet of predetermined size projects in the path of rollers 8a, 8b. The newly inserted position of the sheet is shown in FIGURE 3 at 11a. This positioning of the sheet upon the legs of the spring 232 ensures a uniform spacing of the line of typing 12 from the lower edge of the sheet.

FIGURE 3 shows that the legs of spring 232 in both the typing position and in the opened position of the sheetforwarding mechanism bear with their upper edges against the platen 1 at a downwardly opening acute angle. This not only assures the desired positioning of the sheet from above, but also makes it possible to insert other sheets from below for preparing duplicate copies. When the pressure rollers 8a, 8b are swung from the transport roller 3 into the position shown in FIGURE 2, they will be spinning in counterclockwise rotation which they received from the transport roller 3. This continued rotation of the pressure rollers 8a, 8b will be of advantage during their movement into the position shown in FIGURE 2 since they touch the u per edge of the newly inserted sheet which is located in their path and thereby drive the sheet downwardly upon the spring 232 to ensure a firm seating upon the latter. It is important always to maintain the same space between the typing in the last line and the bottom edge of the sheet.

The front sheet holding mechanism of this invention is suitable for typing upon sheets of predetermined constant height. Because of the fixed position of the spring 232, the line of typing 12 will always be at the same distance from the lower edge of the sheet.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to diiferent usages and conditions and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Sheet holding arrangement for a business machine having a platen with a fixed axis, comprising, in combination, driven transporting roller means mounted on said machine spaced from said platen; pressure roller means mounted on said machine for movement along a path between an inoperative position defining a gap with said transporting roller means, and an operative position cooperating with said transporting roller means, said pressure roller means including a pressure roller shaft mounted on said machine, arm means on said pressure roller shaft, at least one pressure roller mounted on said arm means, and spring means for biassing said pressure roller means to move to said operative position; support pivot means mounted on said machine; sheet holder lever means including a pair of side levers mounted on said support pivot means for tilting movement toward and away from said platen and having sheet holding means located opposite said platen and connecting said side levers, one of said side levers having an arm formed with a cutout bounded by at least one edge, and abutment means for supporting the lower edge of a sheet of predetermined size located between said sheet holding means and said platen in a position in which a sheet end portion projects into said gap, said sheet holder lever means having an opening located opposite said platen and said sheet and defining a printing area on said sheet; means for tilting said sheet holder lever means on said support pivot means between a sheet inserting and ejecting position in which said sheet holding means is spaced from said platen for guiding an inserted sheet, and a typing position in which said holding means holds said sheet in contact with said platen in a printing position in which said printing area is accessible through said opening; and linking means connecting said sheet holder lever means with said pressure roller means and including a lever carrying a pin located in said cutout, said pressure roller shaft carrying said lever, and said spring means being connected with said lever so that said pressure roller means is in said inoperative position when said sheet holder lever means is in said typing position, and is in said operative position when said sheet holder lever means is in said sheet inserting and ejecting position whereby said pressure roller means engages said sheet end portion during movement along said path to said operative position when said sheet holder lever means is moved to said sheet inserting and ejecting position so that said sheet end portion is gripped between said transporting roller means and said pressure roller means in said operative position and ejected in one direction, while a new sheet can be inserted in a direction opposite to said one direction between said platen and said holding means on the side of said pressure roller means remote from said transporting roller means until the inserted sheet rests on said abutment means.

2. A sheet holding arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said sheet holder lever means includes higher and lower plates forming an opening and connecting said side levers, said higher and lower plates being spaced from said platen in said sheet inserting and ejecting position and abutting said platen in said typing position so that a surface portion of said platen is located in said opening, said abutment means being secured to said lower plate so that an inserted sheet resting .on said abutment means has a printing portion extending between said plates and said platen across said opening for receiving imprints through said opening.

3. A sheet holding arrangement as defined in claim 1 and including lateral adjustable paper guide members mounted on said sheet holder lever means for movement along said platen toward and away from each other to an adjustable position for guiding the lateral edges of an inserted sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 945,951 1/1910 Higham 197-128 1,362,204 12/ 1920 Waldheim. 1,646,394 10/1927 Engelsiepen 197-127 1,973,589 9/1934 Watson 197-138.5 X 2,015,728 10/1935 Resch 197-127 2,118,700 5/1938 Crosman 197-128 2,139,169 12/1938 Mueller 197-128 2,246,968 6/1941 Antrim 197-133 2,288,797 7/1942 Fettig 197-127 2,328,146 8/1943 Hill et a1. 197-140 2,565,295 8/1951 Booten 197-133 2,598,939 6/1952 Rainey 197-128 3,223,221 12/1965 Arthur 197-189 X ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. E. T. WRIGHT, Examiner. 

